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Powerful inventory management
Diligence and modern technology combine to help forecast future nursery sales Download a PDF of this article Remigio Echeverria Bucio, division grower at Blooming Nursery, tracks plants on an iPad...
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The quality control journey
From propagation to pulling orders, and every step in between, growers have many opportunities to impact plant quality Download a PDF of this article Employees at Van Essen Nursery Co. use a...
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Planting a seed for success
Nurseries can better manage their bottom line through proactive forecasting Kraemer’s Nursery in Mt. Angel, Oregon, produces plants on a vast scale, including the use of an 11-acre gutter-connect...
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The connection between safety and wellness
Research shows that a worker with healthy diet and exercise habits will be safer in the workplace Health improvement as an injury prevention strategy may be new to some. However, injury-prevention...
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Today’s learners, tomorrow’s leaders
Horticulture students at Chemeketa Community College inspect seedlings that will fill hanging flower baskets sold at the Willamette Chapter’s annual plant sale, a fundraiser for student scholarships...
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Increasing sales through innovation
Technology affords salespeople the tools to improve service and generate reorders. By Tracy Ilene Miller The nursery industry has changed over the last two decades — and so have the techniques...
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Preserving precious water
Growers put a variety of practices into place to save this valuable resource Flood benches have allowed F & B Farms & Nursery to dramatically reduce their water use while ensuring the highest...
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The scoop on soil health
Where rows are wide enough to mow, WSU horticulturist Charles Brun recommends planting cover crops such as sorghum sudangrass or millet. Photo by Peter Szymczak Good dirt is a combination of site...
View ArticleUnderstanding the net investment income tax
Learn how businesses and individuals can reduce their exposure to this new Medicare tax As nurseries work their way back to profitability after a difficult downturn in the industry, it’s important to...
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Boosting business with integrated IT systems
Inventory management is a crucial part of the production process at Blue Heron Farms, which produces more than 850 types, forms and sizes of plants on over 700 acres of ground. Photo by Curt Kipp...
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Leaner lines of communication
Making information flow from top to bottom and back again keeps everyone on the same page and growing Communicating clear directions is critical in the nursery environment. Here, workers at Smith...
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Are branded programs for you?
These eight questions will help growers weigh the advantages and risks of growing branded plants Branding strategies help distinguish products and services in a crowded marketplace. They’ve become a...
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Rules of employee engagement
Disengaged employees represent a lost business opportunity, but change is possible through these five action items Your business may still succeed, but it won’t reach its full potential without high...
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The green rush
With marijuana now legal to grow in Oregon, the state government and established agricultural industry are attempting to get cannabis production under control. According to some estimates, cannabis...
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Putting wind in your sales
Point-of-sale systems can help retailers improve their customer relationships, sales and overall business practices. Brenda Powell rings up a transaction on her point-of-sale system for customer Miriam...
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Battling a labor shortage
Oregon growers use various strategies to find and keep the workers that are essential to running a successful nursery. Workers at Carlton Plants grade and tie plants in a processing warehouse at the...
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The rising cost of compensation
Labor costs have become complicated by legislative mandates and persistent worker shortages. Labor unions in Oregon and other states have organized efforts to raise the minimum wage to the $15 mark....
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Striving for efficiency
Growers are looking to workflow improvement and automation so they can protect their margins and stay in business. Workers at Northwoods Nursery apply a 1-mil. plastic sheet over a raised bed. These...
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Eliminating waste with Lean
Lean processes result in greater value for growers and their customers. Lean production methods look at all activities from the perspective of value to the customer. Overprocessing and motion waste...
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The Labor Issue
Growers face dwindling worker availability, growing worker expense, and the need to consider workflows and automation. Workers dig out bare-root trees at Carlton Plants in Dayton. Photo by Denise...
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